Dispenser for paper articles



Dec. 6, 1938. F. P. vAuGHAN ET AL 2,139,339

DISPENSER FOR PAPER ARTICLES Filed April 25, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 6, 1938.v F. P. vAuGHAN E1' AL 2,139,339

DISPENSER Fon PAPER An'rroms Filed April 25, 1956 2 Sheena-smeet z ATTORN EYS Patented Dec. 6, 1938 .'malsaaatf DISPENSER Fon. PAPER- AR'rrcms 1".. Vaughan,Y A1bert.G.,f frucg'er, -and Nory l man J. Slye, GreenfBay.Willis.,v assignors to Bay West Paper Company, Green Bay, Wis.. a corporation 'of Wisconsin `19V claims.

This invention relates to improvements in dispensers for paperI articles. i

It is the primary .object of the invention to provide an improved means for preventing waste in the dispensing of V.papertoweling or the like from a continuous web. l

The apparatus is of a character which requires .the operator to manipulate, successively different parts of the apparatus in, order -to withdraw a given `length of Iweb and tear-ofIthe projecting portion thereof, and for use as a towel or otherwise. It hasbeen found that ifi-'unlimited portions of the .web may be withdrawn by a single operation'a,large;portion of the material will be wasted, but that ifthe amount of the web which Vvcan be withdrawn by any single `operation is mechanically limited by means which requires resetting before another-withdrawal can occur, a large proportion of vthis :wastage willbe saved. To provide a simple and inexpensive mechanism for this purpose is one of the objectives of this invention. We have,4 however, gone yfurther to prevent the-withdrawal limiting mechanism from being reset until the projecting portion oi the web is definitely severed. 'I'his makes it impossible for the operator tohave in one piece more than a given length of the web, and this feature is found to save most of the remaining waste. To accomplish this objective, therefore, is a further object of the invention.

More specifically stated, the objects of the invention include first, the provision of a novel control device locked by a mutilated pinion; the provision of a novel control device which cannot bereset until a detent is released by the tension of the web incident to its severance and the provision of a novel control device in which the handle manipulated by the operator is movable independently of the control mechanism operated thereby.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a supply cabinet embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is an end view partially in section of the mechanism within the cabinet as it appears with the end wall removed.

Figures 3, 4, and 6 are interior elevational views of the control mechanism in its successive operating positions. i

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view in transverse section through the side of the cabinet and the control mechanism therewithn.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary detail in elevation showing the inner side of the gauge mechanism.

Figure 9 is a view in vertical section through the .gauge mechanism showing 4the operating partsin'side elevation.

Figuresll'i,v 11v and 12 show a modified type oi control mechanism in elevation as viewed from Figure-13 isa fragmentary view similar to Figs.

4410,11 and'12, showing'a further modified embodi- 4mentwith particularreference-toithat portion of the mechanism which is operated'by the tension .ofthe webin the severing thereof.l

; :Figurefl'i is afra'gmentary detail'view in trans- Lvverse,section-looking at;the end of the cabinet :opposite the' control mechanismand showing a modified arrangement for tripping the detenta Figure 15 lisa view similar to Figs. 3 to 6, showing a simpliedcontrol mechanism. i

Like parts are identified bythe samereierence characters throughout the' several views. 'The cabinetmay be of the Itypeshown in a companlon application Serial No. 64,986, Filed February 20 1936,'entitled Web dispenser mountings. Itsback imay be iixed to a wall or other suitable support and theentire iront portion, upon-release of the latch 2, may be withdrawn, either pivotally or otherwise, from the back i, to permit the supply roll 3 to be introduced between any suitable supporting arm such as that illustrated at 4 in Fig. 2.

In the particular cabinet illustrated, the front is provided with a mirror at 5 having an opening at 6 through which a slide l is visible to perform the function of a gauge in indicating how much paper remains on the roll 3. The slide 1 is provided with a rearwardly projecting arm at 8. A pair of links 9 and l0 are pivotally connected with each other and with the arm 8 and a fixed arm i i. Thus the movement of the links between the positions in which they are illustrated in Fig. 2 and the position in which they are illustrated in Fig. 9, progressively lowers the slide 1 to indicate the reduction in diameter of the supply roll 3, it being understood that the fulcrumed connection i2 between the links rests directly on the surface of the roll.

There is a vspace provided at I5 between the front'and rear portions of the cabinet through which predetermined lengths of web from the supply roll 3 are ejected. The web i6 passes over the pressure roll I1 into engagement with the feed roll I8 and thence downwardly across the pivoted bar 2li which serves as a straight edge or knife 4across which the projecting length oi' web may be torn. In order that the feed roll Il The feed roll I8 carries a pinion 25 disposed ywithin this housing and there carrying a single tooth 26. When the operator approaches the apparatus the pinion is flocked against reverse movement by a pawl 21,1and is'locked-against clockwise movement (in the normal direction of feed) by engagement with the untoothed portion of a peculiar gear-like member`f28 having'but two teeth 29 and 30 respectively.

To release the feed roll I8 it is necessary for theoperator to mtate the gear'28 in-a clockwise direction toward the position in whichit is illus- -trated in Fig.- 4. The handlepin 3Iils shown in Fig. 3 at the vextreme forward end of a slot 32 in theend wall of the cabinet and at the extreme rearward :endpof a slot-33,inthe. slide 35. The pin is positioned by 'a head or washer l36 which prevents it from falling out of. therregistering .poxtionsof'these.s1ots,. butftthe handle pin is free of theslideand-is not dependent thereon for fitsposltiont;.i v

When the operator pushes-,rearwardly upon the handleV l 3| hei moves 'slide :3 5. rearwardly to the position in whichfitfis'f illustrated in-Fig.' 4.V The llatch'bar. 3,8.awhich hangs atthe lower extremity of'itszrange-of` 4xnoyemerit in guideway 39, strikes the '.upper endo'f .theigear plate 28 .and operates the gear plate Linsa. clockwise direction to the position shown infFig. 4. moving to this position the-,gear plate28 'dislodges the detent lever `4|! .from its Fig.f3 iposition -in'which its shoulder portion 4I was engaged-,beneaththe stop lug 42 under the tensionfof spring 43. .When dislodged, the .detent lever is not only'oscillated in a clockwise direction toward engagement vwith the other stop lug 44, but is permitted to vbe drawn slightly upwardly under tensionof spring 43 until its end engages in V.the notch 45 in the lower margin of the slide 35, thus holding the slide in its retracted position against the tension of the slide return spring 48.

The upward movement of the detent lever is provided for by providing a fulcrum for this lever upon thearm 450 connected with the tearo knife 2U. The support 46 for the tear-off knife 20 is in turn pivoted at .4l so that when the detent lever is freed in the first operation of the device the tear-off knife is lifted slightly by the tension of spring 43 in the elevation ofthe detent lever 48.

The handle 3I is now `completely ineffective. The slots 32 and 33 in the casing and in the slide 35 respectively are in substantial registry, and the manipulation of handle 3I from one end to the other of these slots has no eiect whatever on the mechanism.

'I'he only portion ofthe mechanism which may now be operated is the feed roller I8 which may be turned by means of the crank 22 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 3 to 6. Its single tooth -26 engages tooth 29 of the gear plate 28 to oscillate the gear plate onel step in a counter-clockwise direction as'shown in Fig-5. This movementslightly raises the latch bar 38 and frees the single tooth 26 so that the feed interposed inthe path vof the.toothf28,'as in the Fig. 3 position of the parts.

`Before the tooth 26 of the pinion 25 again 4strikes the portion 49 of the gear plate, however, -the feed roll `I8 will have made two complete rotations, its circumference being so worked out that this will eject' from the apparatus the required amount of web4 for one paper article (for example, a towel).V vThe feed roll has now come to rest with its pinion confined between the pawl 2l and the gear. plate 28, exactly as in the Fig. 3 situation, and the operators manipulation of the handle cannot effect any rotation of the feedroll either forwardly or backwardly." It only remains for him to tear off the'lcngth of toweling or other web material which projects beyond the cut-off knife 20. i '1 When the operator pulls upon the projecting length of web I 6', the tension of the web required to sever the'projectingend portion therefrom pulls the tear-off knifedownwardly with itsv supporting lever 46 to the position shown in Fig.6 where lever 46 encounters the -front bottom portion of the cabinet and comesto rest.4 The bodily downward movement of :the cutoif-knife draws with it the detent 1ever40 vagainstthe' tensin of spring 43, thereby freeing the notched portion of the slide ss-assnownm Figisr The-'suce thereupon moves inthe direction' 'of the arrow under the bias of its Iretractingspring 46.` Fig-6 shows the slide as it appears `when the movement has just been initiated.' The completion" of the movement will leave the-parts as shown in Fig.3. Inthe mechanism shown in Figs.v 10, 11 and l2, a similar cycle of operations takes" place;1 The handle 3| is in this case made fastin a slide 350 subject to the tension of a spring 480. The slide, in its rearward movement from' the Fig.10 position to the Fig. 11 position, acts directly upon the gear plate 280 to oscillate this plate in a clockwise direction, thereby freeing-the pinion tooth 26, in order to permit the clockwise rotation of the feed roll I8.

This oscillation of the gear plate 280 causes the finger 52 thereon to pass beneath'the cruciform detent 53 as shown in Fig. l1.

As the crank is turned to rotate the feed roll I8, the pinion tooth 26 on the feed roll engages the first tooth 29 of the gear plate 288 to oscillate the'gear plate 288 one step in a. counter-clockwise direction to the full line position shown in Fig. 12. This movement lifts the detent 53 and allows spring 430 to oscillate lever 54 about its fulcrum 55, thereby swinging upwardly the cut-off knife 20 which is carried by lever 54. I

During the second rotationof the feed roll I8 the tooth 26 of pinion 25 will engage the second tooth 30 of the gear plate tocomplete the movement of the gear plate to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 12, this being the same position shown in full lines in Fig. 10. The detent 53 has, however, passed above the latch lever 54 so that when the gear plate reaches the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 12, the latch lever 64 will engage beneathvthe shoulder 58 to4 lock the gear plate so that it cannot further be manipulated by handle 3l until the web is torn oil.

The tearing off of the web draws the cut-off blade 2U downwardly about the fulcrum at 55, thereby retracting lever 54 from engagement with the gear plate 280, aridalso permitting the detent 53 to drop between lever 54 and the gear plate as shown in Fig. 10, so that the gear plate may now be pushed backwardly bymeans of handle 3| to renew the sequence of operations and to "permit the withdrawal of another sheet.

l The release incident-to the tearing off o f the first sheet need not necessarily be effected by the movement of lthe cut-off knife itself. In Fig.' 13 I have shown the bottom of the cabinet formed to provide a cut-off knife 20|!"which is stationary. Immediately above this I have mounted a transverse pawl 59 which is 'carried by the lever 54 exactly as wasthe'cut-oif knife in Figs. 10, l1 and 12. Thetensioning of the web across'the cut-off knife 20B will oscillate the pressure bar 59 in a clockwise direction to retract the latch lever 54 in the manner already described. Obviously the same arrangement is adaptable to the construction shown in Figs. 3 to 6.

If desired, the means whicnreleases the control mechanism may have an emergency connection to the exterior of the cabinet to be operated by hand if it does not operate by the tearing off of the web. In Fig. 14 I' show a button 60 on the exterior of the cabinet which is connected by link 6|, lever 62, andfpush rod 63, withan arrn' 64 attached tothe cut-off knife 20 so that the' pulling of the button 6U ywill operate the knife in the same directionin which itshouldbe operated by the tearing of the web.

In Fig. 15 I have shown a very simple device embodying the mutilated pinion principle of operation. as well as the freehandle movement,

-which may be'used in any case where the tearing of the web is not essentiallya prerequisite to the renewed operation of the control'mechanism.

In the Fig. 15 construction the handle 3l is secured to a lever B fulcrumed at 6E, the handle moving in an arcuate slot 320 in the end wall of the cabinet. The lever 65 is normally held in a retracted position by means of the tension spring 61.

The pinion 25 with its single tooth 2B is identical with the corresponding parts already described. A pawl 21|) prevents retrogressive movement of the pinion just as does pawl 2l in the previously described devices.

The gear plate, however. takes the form of a bar 28| mounted on guide straps G8 and 69, one of which may preferably be provided with a spring friction device l0 to hold the bar in any position to which it is adjusted.

The bar has been moved to the left in Fig. 15 by a counter-clockwise oscillation of lever 65 through manipulation of handle 3| 'in slot 320. The edge of lever 65 has engaged the pin 1| for this purpose. The movement of the gear plate or bar 28| to the left moved its notch 12 into position where it could be entered by the pinion tooth 26, so that during the continued rotation of the feed roll in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow, the bar 28| will be moved one step to the right. In its' second rotation the pinion tooth 26 will engage the second notch 13 of the bar and will move the bar further to the right.

Upon the completion of its rotation, however, the pinion tooth 26 will have no further possible movement, for it will encounter the unnotched margin 490 of the bar. This will prevent any further movement of the pinion until the handle A3| is again manipulated to retract the bar to a position somewhat beyond that in which it is illustrated in Fig. 15. This simple mechanism effects most of the saving which is possible' in a of the web.

1. In a web dispensing device, the combination with aweb feeding means anda' part connected therewith for movement in accordance Iwith the operation of said means, of a second part' complementary to the rst mentioned part and comprising a mechanism for regulating the operation of said web feeding means, one of said parts having at least one tooth and 'the other of said parts having at least one space in whichsaid tooth is receivable toA communicate movement from the toothed part to the part provided with such space,

said last mentioned part having a portion beyond said space with which said tooth is positively engageable as a means of limiting the movement of the toothed part and thereby limiting lthe operation of said web feeding means.

2. The combination with web feeding means, of a pinion connected therewith to partake of the movement thereof, `a gearplate-havingteeth engageable by the pinion. to receive motion therefrom through a predeterminedly limited range of pinion rotation, said'gear plate being provided Vbeyond said range with a portion comprising a positive stop for said pinion,v and means for rotating the pinion until stopped by said plate.

3. The combination with web feeding means, of a pinion connected therewith and toothed for less than its entire periphery, a gear plate provided with means for its manual retraction and having in its retracted position at least one tooth engageable by a pinion tooth for the advance of said gear plate, said gear plate providing, in the course of its advance, an untoothed portion comprising a positive stop against which the toothed portion of said pinion is engageable to limit the movement of said web feeding means.

4. In combination, alweb feeding means, a pinion connected therewith and toothed for a limited portion of its periphery, a gear plate co-acting with the pinion and having teeth engageable by the pinion in a retracted position of the gear plate, and a pinion stop engageable by the pinion in the advanced position of the gear plate, said gear plate being movable by engagement of a pinion tooth therewith from its retracted to its advanced position, and means normally free of said gear plate for manually returning said gear plate from its advanced to its retracted position.

5. The combination with a web feeding device. of a pinion connected therewith toothed for a limited portion of its periphery, a gear plate having means engageable by the toothed portion of the pinion in each of a plurality of pinion rotations, said gear plate having a stop portion presented to the toothed portion of thev pinion upon the completion of said rotations, and means for manually restoring said gear plate to a position to again present its said means to the toothed portion of the pinion.

6. The combination with a web feeding device, of a pinion connected to move therewith, a rack co-operative with said pinion and provided with tion of said means, a detent having means providing for its self-adjustment to a position for opposing the resetting of said limiting means, a web severing device, anda member operable in the functioning of said resettingdevice for releasing said detent, said last mentioned member comprising a bar adjacent said device and projecting across the direct path of the paper, whereby to be acted upon in thetensioning of said paper incident to its severing by said device.

18. In a dispensing device, the combination with a web feeding means provided with a rst handle for its actuation, of mechanism connected with said means to be operated thereby forflimit ing the movement of said means in a web feeding direction, a member for resetting said mechanism to permit of the renewed advance of said web feeding means, a second handle normally free of said member and provided with motion transmitting connections engageable with said member in a direction for the performance of the resetting function of said member, a detent engageable with said member to restrain it from functioning in response to the actuation of said second handle, a cutoi knife in the path of a web advanced by said feeding means, means yieldably supporting the cut-off knife, and motion transmitting connections from said knife to said detent for the release of said detent on the operation of said knife, the yielding of the knife being a prerequisite to the release of the detent and the release of the detent being a prerequisite to the use of the second handle for the resetting of said limiting means, and the resetting of said limiting A means being a prerequisite to the use of the first handle to advance said web feeding means.

19, In a dispenser, the combination with a web feeding means and a web severing device, of mechanism for limiting the advance of said feeding means, a handle independent of said feeding means provided with a st motion connection to said mechanism for the resetting thereof, a detent provided with means for preventing the resetting of the handle, a mounting on which said severing device is yieldable, and motion transmitting connections from said device to said detent for the release of said detent upon the use of said device to severa web, whereby the severlng of the web is a prerequisite to the resetting of said mechanism and the resetting of said mechanism is a prerequisite to the operation of said web feeding means.

FRANK P. VAUGHAN. ALBERT G. KRUEGER. NORMAN J. SLYE. 

